Thursday, September 22, 2016

(Editor’s note: Medal of Valor photos are availabeathttps://cdcrmedalofvalorceremony.shutterfly.com/pictures/222.This site may not be available from a CDCR computer.)By Krissi Khokhobashvili, CDCR Public Information Officer II Photos by Eric Owens, CDCR Staff Photographerand, Terry Thornton, Deputy Press Secretary Office of Public and Employee Communications

There was no denying the pride in CDCR Secretary Scott Kernan’s face as he looked out over a room full of corrections employees and their families, gathered to honor their achievements and bravery at the 31st annual Medal of Valor ceremony.

“We have 60,000 employees, 29,000 of them sworn peace officers, and we’re here today to recognize them for heroic events both in prison and off duty,” Kernan said. “I would like to express my gratitude for all the dedicated women and men who serve our department. They exemplify a commitment to selfless service day in and day out.”

Joining the department in congratulating the honorees was Gov. Jerry Brown, who came to the ceremony at Creekside Christian Church in Elk Grove to thank staff for their service.

“At the end of the day, the strength of a society is not its money, or its elections, much less its elected officials,” said Gov. Jerry Brown, who attended the ceremony. “It’s the people, their character, their virtue, and how they treat themselves, their families and their neighbors, and who are strengthening our state and country by what they’ve done. They go above and beyond the call of duty and act in a way that is profoundly humane and gives edification and inspiration to everyone else who hears about it or sees it.”

This year’s honorees included custody staff, parole agents, analysts, educators and medical professionals. Two correctional officers received the Medal of Valor, which is the department’s highest honor, reserved for employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service, displaying great courage in the face of immediate life-threatening peril without jeopardizing the lives of others.

Correctional Officer Jaymi Appleberry certainly fits the bill. Attacked by an armed man while off duty, Appleberry put her training into lightning-fast action, managing to get her friend away from the assailant and disarm him, even while the gun fired twice. When the attacker tried to run after her, she turned the weapon on him, causing him to flee. Appleberry sustained a head laceration during the attack, but no doubt saved her friend’s life – and her own. Not bad for a correctional officer who has been with the department less than two years.

“It is truly a humbling experience, because I am still a new officer with such little time in,” said Appleberry, who works at California State Prison-Sacramento (SAC). “I am so grateful for the training, support and encouragement given to me by the departmental staff. I thank God for giving me the courage, and I thank the department for giving me the training.”

Correctional Officer Mike Johnson, a seven-year veteran of the department who has spent his whole career at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP), was also honored with the Medal of Valor for bravely saving two lives following a fiery crash in Salinas.

On his way home from work in 2015, Johnson came across a two-car crash with one vehicle on fire. Johnson and a Marina police officer rescued a woman from the vehicle by carrying her to safety just before the vehicle became engulfed in flames. Johnson also moved another victim to safety who had been on the ground near the burning vehicle. Both victims survived.

“My training was an immense factor on the positive outcome of the situation,” Johnson said. “As officers, we are trained to respond. One of the more important aspects we are taught is known as the OODA loop. Basically this means observe, orient, develop a plan, act, and the loop aspect is to recycle/reset as the situation changes.”

SVSP Warden Bill Muniz came to the Medal of Valor ceremony to support Johnson and his other employees who received awards. In addition to Johnson, eight SVSP employees were honored with a Unit Citation for risking their own safety to remove an inmate from a burning cell. Muniz pointed out that his staff responds to an average of 1,000 incidents each year, and their experience inside the maximum-security prison prepares them to assist citizens in the community, as well.

“The bravery instilled in staff by having to respond to emergent situations spills over,” Muniz explained. “They’re primed by all of the alarms they respond to, all the dangerous situations. They’re used to running in when others run out.”

While Johnson speaks matter-of-factly about the experience, his daughter Macy is quick to point out the heroism involved, and that not just anybody would be willing to put themselves in harm’s way in order to save a life.

“I feel like it’s not something a lot of people would do or be capable of doing,” she said. “He tore a console out of a car. I’m proud of him. I sum it up this way: This is what my dad is. This is what he does.”

In addition to his actions during the accident, Johnson also worked to raise money for the family to cover their astronomic medical bills, and hopes to work with fellow CDCR employees to establish a nonprofit that would raise money for families affected by traumatic events.

In addition to the two Medal of Valor recipients, 123 other CDCR employees were honored at the ceremony in the form of Unit Citations and Gold, Silver and Bronze Stars. The ceremony, which has been sponsored for 12 years by the California Correctional Supervisors Organization, also recognized employees with Distinguished Service Medals for exemplary work conduct, and with Employee Recognition Awards, honoring the department’s Administrator of the Year, Rehabilitation Professional of the Year and Correctional Officer and Supervisor of the Year, among others.

Gazing over the crowd, Kernan reflected on the hard work of the thousands of men and women whose actions day in and day out support the department’s vision of a safer California through correctional excellence.

“Our jobs have never been easy,” he said. “However, we continue meeting the challenges as they arise, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. I am proud to lead our staff as we strive to make the agency a national role model for corrections and rehabilitation.”

(Editor’s note: Medal of Valor photos are availabeathttps://cdcrmedalofvalorceremony.shutterfly.com/pictures/222.This site may not be available from a CDCR computer.)
2016 honoreesMedal of ValorThe Medal of Valor is the Department’s highest award, earned by employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service. The employee shall display great courage in the face of immediate life-threatening peril and with full knowledge of the risk involved. The act should show professional judgment and not jeopardize operations or in the lives of others.

Gold Star MedalThe Gold Star medal is awarded for heroic deeds under extraordinary circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of immediate peril in acting to save the life of another person.

Jesus Blandon, Correctional Officer
California Health Care Facility.

Silver Star MedalThe Silver Star medal is awarded for acts of bravery under extraordinary or unusual circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of potential peril while saving or attempting to save the life of another person or distinguish him/herself by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics or judgement.

John Edelman, Parole Agent I
California Parolee Apprehension Team North

Bronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star is awarded for saving a life without placing oneself in peril. The employee shall have used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save, or clearly contribute to saving, the life of another person.

Distinguished Service MedalThe Distinguished Service Medal is awarded for an employee’s exemplary work conduct with the Department for a period of months or years, or involvement in a specific assignment of unusual benefit to the Department.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

All across California, state workers are donating funds to their favorite charities through the Our Promise campaign.

CDCR officially kicks off the Our Promise: California State Employees Giving at Work campaign with a carnival-themed free event on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016 in the atrium of CDCR Headquarters in Sacramento.

This year’s CDCR campaign is chaired by Allie Powell, a public information officer with the Office of Public and Employee Communications.

The Our Promise campaign was established in 1957 to provide a single charitable fundraising drive for the California state employee community. The campaign is rooted in the California legislature and is administered by the Victim’s Compensation and Government Claims Board.

California Government Code, Section 13923, requires every employee receive an approved list of charitable organizations, a payroll deduction form, and a designation form. It also allows for payroll deduction for an annual charitable fund drive.

During the fall, each state employee is given a payroll deduction pledge form and a donor resource guide with participating charitable organizations. Employees may donate to a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Any organization not listed in the donor resource guide may receive an employee contribution by completing the Write-In Organization section of the pledge form. Payroll deduction donations start for as little as $5 per month.

For additional information about the CDCR, please call the Office of External Affairs at (916) 445-4950.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

SACRAMENTO –
California Rehabilitation Oversight Board (C-ROB) recently held a public
meeting at the California State University Sacramento Harper Alumni Center, at
7490 College Town Drive, to discuss several significant updates concerning the
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) programs and
services. C-ROB was established by Assembly Bill 900, the Public Safety and
Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007.Pursuant to
Penal Code, Section 6141, C-ROB serves as a multi-disciplinary public board
with members from various state and local entities to examine and report on
rehabilitative programming provided to offenders and parolees by CDCR, including
the implementation of an effective treatment model throughout the department. CDCR
Secretary Scott Kernan serves as a board member.

The board
submits their annual report on Sept. 15 to the Governor and the Legislature. Among other information reported in the
meeting, the board discussed findings on the effectiveness of treatment
efforts, rehabilitation needs of offenders, gaps in rehabilitation services and
levels of offender participation.

Misty
Polasik, C-ROB Executive Director, provided highlights from site visits by the
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to all 35 adult institutions from December 2015
to January 2016 and again May 2016 to June 2016. During visits, OIG staff
observed rehabilitation programs, interviewed CDCR staff and spoke with inmates
to collect feedback. Staff reported several highlights from the visits such
as dedicated staff, increased rehabilitative programming, reentry center and substance-use disorder treatment expansions.

In the meeting, Chairperson Robert A. Barton led a discussion on the draft
September 2016 Annual C-ROB report, followed by several updates from CDCR staff,
including Jay Virbel, Director, Division of Rehabilitative Programs on the
following program areas:

Victoria
Cavaliere, Program Director, Tender Loving Caninesprovided an
update on their agency’s effort to provide assistance dogs to wounded warriors
or individuals with autism in the community. The agency serves as a partner to
CDCR to support offender rehabilitation. Currently six service dogs are placed
with inmates for training at Richard J. Donovan Fire House. Four more dogs are scheduled
for placement in 2017. There are several incentive based criteria for an inmate to be
eligible, such as no crimes against animals, discipline free for 12 months, and
the inmate must have a minimum of 24 months left to serve on their sentence.

Jackson and Murphy

Jackson and Murphy are eight-week old puppies that will participate in the Tender Loving
Canines program. With
voluntary rehabilitation programming in place at various locations, non-profit staff plan to compete
for CDCR Innovative
Programming Grants to create more opportunities to participate in the program.